The Unexpected Proposal
by BluePenguine
Summary: Lucy is having a relaxing bath when Natsu bursts into the room. What follows will change their lives forever.


I don't own Fairy Tail and it's characters.

I hope you all read and enjoy this little story I put together.

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Lucy said goodbye to her friends and walked the short distance to her apartment. The shadows of the buildings grew long and the air grew cool. As she walked through the cobbled streets of Magnolia the celestial spirit mage planned an evening of pampering and indulgence fit for a queen. However when she opened the door she couldn't quite believe her eyes. It took less than five minutes for them to break into her home. They sat on her couch patiently waiting for her, as though she hadn't just left them. You would think after years of knowing these people she would be accustomed to their unconventional ways.

Erza perched on the edge of the couch with her arms folded over her chest. Gray looked princely draped over the couch, arms and legs at perfect ease as if he owned the place. Natsu and Happy bounced lightly up and down on the overstuffed purple upholstery looking like idiots.

"She's home! She's home! Can we eat now?" Natsu chanted. "I'm starving."

"Aye!" Happy added.

"What the hell are you guys doing in my flat? Wait, how the hell did you guys get here before me? I left you guys like five minutes ago." Lucy was shocked. On a normal day this would be vaguely annoying, but today she was too tired to deal with them. Especially since they broke into her home and then demanded dinner. She clenched her fist and tightened her jaw intending on giving them a piece of her mind before kicking them out. But before she could begin her tirade Erza piped up.

"I am very sorry Lucy. It was my idea. I thought it would be nice to have a quiet dinner together. The others," she gestured to the boys sitting next to her, "also thought it was a good idea. But I take full responsibility for my actions." She bowed her head.

Lucy couldn't be mad at her, truthfully she never could be mad at them. They always worked so hard to cheer her up when she was feeling down. She let out a long sigh and dropped her shoulders. The blond didn't have to say anything because they knew they had won, instead she busied herself in the small kitchenette and let them whoop in celebration on their own.

After dinner they still wouldn't leave. Eventually Lucy excused herself and escaped to the relative calm of the bathroom. She was going to have a bath whether they were there or not. She mentioned that they were welcome to stay but she more than hoped they would get the message and leave before she finished.

Lucy moved around the spotless white bathroom with business like purpose, arranging her clothes and towels in neat piles before filling the bathtub with steamy hot water. The room filled with gentle wisps of white fluffy steam that cloaked her in a watery blanket. She sighed. Her hands ran through her limp hair and pulled out some of the knots that had formed over the day. She slowly got into the bath; her soft skin turned red as the hot water enveloped her. The heat from the water acted as a soothing balm to her aching muscles and tired soul. Lucy liked her baths near volcanic. She believed that the heat penetrated deep into the skin and lifted the dirt and grime of the day away and left her clean and beautiful.

The blond could hear laughter from the other room and knew they were not going anywhere. So she decided to stay in the bath a little longer than usual and hoped to regain that earlier tranquillity. The water turned pleasantly warm and massaged her aching back and legs. The various soaps and bubbles that she added to the water lifted her mood, especially the vanilla shampoo that she loved. The suds collected around her and formed a foamy layer on the surface of the water that looked like snow-capped mountains.

The door burst open. This was nothing new, as her so called friends always found a way to shatter her privacy, but the noise and suddenness of the intrusion made her jump. Some of the vanilla scented water sloshed onto the ground, wetting the tiles and bathmat.

"Natsu what the hell are you doing in here? I'm having a bath, get out!" She screamed at him as she clutched her hands over her large breasts, attempting to save some of her modesty.

"But I need a piss and you're taking ages," he wined. His hands gripped his belt ready to unbuckle it. Lucy was not prepared for this. It was one thing to burst in on her having a bath but to undress himself as well? It was too much. She felt a coldness creep over her skin and invade her inner warmth when she realised he was serious about using the toilet. The once soothing bath now felt too warm and clammy and clang to her skin.

"Y-you can't do that. It's gross." Her voice peaked trying desperately for him to understand.

"Why?"

"Why? Because it's gross and… and…" She needed to think of a way to make him understand, "and because we aren't married. Only married people do that kind of thing." There, that was easy enough for him to understand. Now if only he would leave so she could escape this situation with some dignity intact.

"But we're sort of married aren't we? We do everything together. We eat together, sleep together, go on adventures together. We've even seen each other naked. Isn't that what being married is like?" He shrugged; not bothered about any of it.

"You have a warped perception of marriage if that's – wait. You think we're married?" Her voice became high pitch and strained. He removed his hands from his belt and cupped his chin, looking thoughtful.

"Well no, we aren't married because I haven't asked you yet. But its like we're married," he spoke slowly.

"What?" Lucy roared. "You're going to ask me to marry you? In the bathroom? While I'm naked? You complete ass–"

The door burst open for the second time that evening. The others had no doubt grown curious about Natsu's prolonged absence so came looking for him. Erza entered ready for battle with arms stretched out in front of her gripping her sword tightly. The menacing blade caught the edge of the dissipating steam before the icy wind from the living room swept it aside. The cold air nipped at the blond's exposed flesh and forced her lower into the tepid water. Gray made a suggestive chuckle and Happy floated above their heads trying to keep his laughter behind blue kitty paws.

Erza straightened her back and lowered her sword a fraction, "what is going on in here? We heard Lucy scream."

Natsu turned, eyeing the sword, "I had to piss but Lucy wouldn't let me."

"You idiot. You cannot walk in on a woman bathing in order to use the toilet." Lucy was relieved by Erza's response. Finally someone to back her up. "Unless you are married of course."

"What?" Lucy screeched from low in the bathtub. Her throat hurt from all this yelling and her skin was growing uncomfortable and pruney in the water. She needed to get out soon.

"We're kind of married though, right?"

It was Gray's turn to pipe in. "Have you asked her yet?" The blond glared at him from behind the edge of the bathtub. How dare he encourage them.

"Not yet. Hey Luce," he rounded on her, catching her brown eyes with his dark ones, "wanna get married?"

Her aching throat and dry tongue left her speechless. She couldn't believe this was actually happening; it had to be some kind of nightmare. Her arms were stiff from hanging onto the edge of the bath and the tension carried up her arms and nestled between her shoulder blades.

"You cannot ask her like that. You must go down on one knee and ask her," said Erza. She realised there was no danger so sheathed her sword and folded her arms over her armour-plated chest. Without skipping a beat Natsu dropped to one knee and asked her again.

"Now give her the ring."

Natsu frowned. "But I don't have a ring. Do we need one?"

"Of course you need a ring. Don't you know anything about marriage? You should listen to Alzack and Bisca more often."

"I know!" Natsu pulled off his precious white-scaled scarf and wrapped it around Lucy's head like a turban. "There. Now we're married."

"You are engaged, not married."

"Lucy's been pretty quiet. Maybe she doesn't want to marry your lame ass," said Gray. He had been quiet through the entire escapade, except for the occasional chuckle.

"Fuck off Gray. I dare you to say something like that again."

"Oh yeah? Well I –"

"Shut up! All of you just shut up." Lucy rose out of the water slightly. She found her voice with her anger. She couldn't take it anymore. "You selfish idiot Natsu. How could you do this to me? I've been dreaming about this moment all my life. It was suppose to happen on the beach at sunset after a romantic dinner. Not here in my bathroom while I'm naked." Hot tears built up on the corner of her eyes. Her throat felt tight and sore. "It was suppose to be perfect" she struggled out before her voice failed.

"But Lucy…" Erza whispered.

"Get out!" The blond screamed. The tears, knocked by her conviction, burned down her cheeks into the cool bathwater.

"Don't you want to get married?" Natsu asked, leaning closer to her.

"Not to you, flame brain."

"Shut up Gray. All of you get out," Lucy was furious now.

She narrowed her eyes at Gray and willed him to leave. He backed out of the room dragging Happy and Erza with him. Lucy was alone with Natsu. Her hard brown eyes turned on Natsu, staring him down. But he wouldn't back down or break eye contact with her.

"Luce?"

"What?"

"Don't you want to get married?"

"Not to an insensitive jerk like you."

She didn't mean it.

She sometimes entertained the thought of marrying Natsu and settling down in a nice house in the country with a few children. What he said before was right. They were like a married couple, doing everything together, even sharing a bed on occasion. But ever since she was a little girl she had dreamed of the day her knight in shining armour would ask her to marry him. Once she let slip this fantasy of hers. She and Natsu were in her bed somewhere between the real and dream world. It wasn't suppose to mean anything but when she finished telling him she realised how much she wanted some great gesture of undying love. He merely grunted. Really she shouldn't be surprised this was how he chose to propose to her. The idiot didn't have a clue.

"But I love you," he said, hurt. "I thought when you loved someone you married them. That's what Igneel said."

Lucy's gut twisted into an uncomfortable knot. His eyes widened as he peered into hers hopefully. A rough, warm hand wiped the tears from her cheeks and cupped her face gently.

"Do you love me too?"

"Yes." Lucy let out a short sharp sob. "Yes I love you, you idiot."

Natsu smiled and leaned in closer so their faces were only inches apart.

"So you'll marry me?"

"Yes."

Hot tears rolled down the blond's cheeks to join their comrades in the almost cold bath water. A large smile played across her lips and she felt warmth spread deep in her chest. Natsu closed the distance separating their faces and captured her lips in a warm and powerful kiss. The fire mage held nothing back and poured his love and devotion into her. They parted when the demand for air became unbearable but remained close, staring into each other's eyes.

Lucy couldn't believe it; she was engaged to her best friend and the love of her life. It hadn't been perfect and he couldn't have timed it worse but that was Natsu, always acting before thinking.

The grand gesture of love she dreamed off wasn't a heartfelt poem or a room full of roses; it was far more meaningful than any of those things. The scarf was still wrapped around her head and soaked in places but she didn't care. She was too happy to care about anything but the man kneeling in front of her. He sat back on his heels, still cupping her face and grinned.

"Can I use the toilet now?"

"Natsu!"


End file.
